Arne Dagfin Dahl
|death_date = |birth_place =Kristiania, Norway |death_place= Oslo, Norway |placeofburial= Vestre gravlund, Oslo |placeofburial_label= Place of burial |image= Arne Dagfin Dahl.JPG |caption= |allegiance=Norway |branch= Norwegian Army|serviceyears=1912–1956 |rank=Generalmajor (Major General) |unit=14th Infantry Regiment (1915-1916) |commands= * CO Alta Battalion * Chief Military Mission to Soviet Union * GOC Military District North Norway * GOC Norwegian occupation forces in Germany|battles='Second World War:' *Battle of Gratangen *Battles of Narvik * Liberation of Finnmark |awards= St. Olav's Medal With Oak BranchGjems-Onstad 1996: 201 Defence Medal with Rosette King Haakon's Remembrance medal Croix de guerre with Star Croix de guerre with palm Commander of the Legion of Honour Commander of the Order of the British Empire Bronze Star | relations = Ragnvald Dahl (father) Anna Othilie Stablum (mother) Astri Thinn Christophersen (wife) |enteredservice=}} Arne Dagfin Dahl, CBE (1894–1990) was a Norwegian military officer most renowned as the commander of the Alta Battalion during the fighting at Narvik in Northern Norway in 1940. Early and personal life Born in Kristiania on 24 May 1894, Arne Dagfin Dahl was the son of postmaster Ragnvald Dahl and Anna Othilie Stablum. He took his examen artium in 1912, graduated from business school in 1919 and entered law studies at the Royal Frederick University in 1921. In 1924, he dropped out of university, to become director of the Norwegian Automobile Federation. Dahl had gained an international pilot licence in 1918. On 17 September 1921, Dahl married Kristiania-born Astri Thinn Christophersen (b. 12 July 1901). By 1930, the couple had three daughters. Civilian career In the years 1920-1924, Dahl worked as a physical education teacher at the school St. Hanshaugens gymnasium. From 1920 to 1924 he worked as a secretary at the Oslo Forsvarsforening, and from 1923 to 1929 he edited the automotive magazine Norsk Motorblad. Military career First World War Dahl graduated from the Norwegian Military Academy in 1915, with the rank of first lieutenant. During the First World War, Dahl first saw service in the Norwegian Army's neutrality guard in 1915-1916, with the 14th Infantry Regiment. He then served as the Norwegian military attaché to the United Kingdom (1916-1919) and Belgium (1917-1919). In connection with this assignment to Belgium Dahl spent time at the front lines as an observer.Mjøen 1990: 51 According to a report on the Alta Battalion by the Norwegian Ministry of Health and Care Services, Dahl saw action during his time at the front, fighting in a British unit at the Battle of the Somme in 1916. After returning to Norway in 1919, Dahl spent five years working at the Norwegian Military Academy. In 1929 he became an adjutant to Haakon VII of Norway, and in 1930 was promoted to captain. Second World War Dahl assumed command of the Alta Battalion in 1939 and led it through the 1940 Norwegian Campaign. He has since been considered perhaps the best Norwegian battalion commander during the fighting at Narvik. He later served in the UK and the U.S. as well as having other commands before in the fall of 1944, as a full colonel, he was made commander of the Norwegian Military Mission. In 1941 Dahl became the first Norwegian to attend the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Finnmark command withdrew from Norwegian territory on 25 September 1945. At the rear from right: Colonel A. D. Dahl, Crown Prince Olav, and Commander of Soviet Forces in Norway Lieutenant General Sherbakov.]] Dahl was given the task of commanding the Norwegian forces that were transferred to, as well as those raised in, the recently liberated Norwegian county of Finnmark from November 1944. At the time of the German capitulation in Norway on 8 May 1945 Dahl had under his Finnmark command around 3,000 soldiers. Although involved in very little fighting, the force under Dahl's command was heavily involved in helping the civilian population of Finnmark and served as a symbol of Norwegian sovereignty in the area. Dahl on his part was concerned that the Russian forces which had been stationed in Eastern Finnmark since the October 1944 Petsamo-Kirkenes Operation might not leave after war's end. These concerns turned out not to come true as all the Soviet forces left Norwegian territory by August–September 1945. Post-war service and Major General Arne Dagfin Dahl on inspection in Narvik on 5 July 1951.]] A.D. Dahl became a Major General and commander of District Command North in 1945. In the period 1 September 1949 to 31 October 1950, Dahl commanded the Independent Norwegian Brigade Group in Germany. Honours and awards By 1930, Dahl was an Officer of the Order of the British Empire and a Knight of the Belgian Order of the Crown. References Bibliography * * Category:1894 births Category:1990 deaths Category:People from Oslo Category:Non-U.S. alumni of the Command and General Staff College Category:Norwegian aviators Category:Norwegian expatriates in Belgium Category:Norwegian expatriates in France Category:Norwegian expatriates in the United Kingdom Category:Norwegian expatriates in the United States Category:Norwegian Army generals Category:Norwegian Army personnel of World War II Category:Norwegian people of World War I Category:Recipients of the Bronze Star Medal Category:Recipients of the Croix de guerre (France) Category:Recipients of the St. Olav's Medal With Oak Branch Category:Honorary Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Category:Commandeurs of the Légion d'honneur Category:Knights of the Order of the Crown (Belgium) Category:Norwegian magazine editors